teen backpack faqs.

Who goes on these trips? Teens (13-18) who have experienced  the death of someone important to them within the last 7 years and are feeling that the grief that they carry is a bit too heavy or confusing. Teens who regularly move their bodies, are prepared for moderate exertion, and want to feel the freedom of being away from their everyday existence to connect with nature and with other teens who know what it’s like to have a person close to them die. 

How much does the trip cost? We provide this trip at no cost to all participants. We believe in this program and fundraise so any teen who is grieving can participate.

What will we actually do out there? Walk, breathe, talk, laugh, be still, sleep, eat, walk, find wonder, sit in beauty, learn about grief, learn about the wild and camping, learn about yourself. The daily experience of living in the wilderness is so different from our usual life that our minds can jump out of ruts. We introduce some group and individual grief explorations/activities and all participation is always by choice.

Is this gonna be like Man vs Wild or Survivor? No, this is a trip about supporting each other to learn and experience the wilderness. You may find it challenging to walk with a pack all day but you will not be pushed into survival mode. 

Is this only for athletes? No. If you move at all regularly, like walk a mile or two during the week, do sports, lift, dance class, cycle, etc you will be fine on this trip. You may be tired at night, but this is not a trip requiring serious fitness. If you rarely move, except to go to the car, or walk down a hall, we recommend joining us for a Teen or Family Day Hike instead.

What gear do I need? We provide all the major gear needed for being comfortable while backpacking including tents, packs, rain gear, base layer, boots, warm fleece, sleeping bags and pads. The gear is high quality and is provided by the Washington Trails Association. You will need to bring a few things like underwear, socks, pants, shorts and light shirts. Most of these items need to be cotton-free (cotton gets wet and stays wet) and can be found at outdoor stores as well as second hand stores. We will provide you with a packing list and abundant help getting prepared.

Am I going to be crying the whole time? No, it won’t be 4 days of sadness - guaranteed. Allowing time to honor and reflect on your grief can be scary, feelings may surface that you have been avoiding but you are in charge of your process. We will together provide space and support for talking, being silent, crying, expressing frustrations, laughing and more. You will never be pressured to share. Many find healing in just being outdoors and around others who understand what you are going through.

I’ve never backpacked before, can I still go? Yes. We have designed these hikes to work for people new to backpacking. You will need to be able to walk up to five miles on hilly terrain with a moderate weight backpack. While we strive to keep these hikes accessible to beginners, we encourage you to be realistic about your physical abilities and if walking up a 2 block hill is difficult, our Teen or Family Day Hike might be a better place to start. We encourage all teens to take regular long walks in the weeks before to help prepare. 

Are there snakes, or spiders, or other fearsome creatures?? What’s out there? Our trips are in Western Washington State and there are no venomous snakes or dangerous insects in the areas. There could be an occasional black bear, which are rare and interested in berries, not humans. Our leaders will train you in how to properly respect wild creatures.

How does this help me? Having the space, time, and focus to give your full attention to being in the wilderness is a transformative experience that allows insight to emerge and unfold. This is what we are all about: Peer support in the healing power of nature. Our Wild Grief guides all have experience in supporting youth in their grief journey. You will be supported in sharing and processing as much or as little as you want.

Who’s leading the trip? What are their qualifications? Wild Grief backpack guides have experience in wilderness living and grief support. Each trip will have a licensed mental health counselor and a Wilderness First Responder (or WFR) who are highly trained to assess and respond to medical emergencies in the wild. All guides have had background checks and have been trained by Wild Grief. See the about page for information about our guides.

How do the teens get to the trail? We meet the morning of the hike at 7:00 in Olympia, hand out backpacking gear, help you pack, and travel by van to the trailhead and start our backpack trip. We all meet at the same place when we return. 

What happens if there’s an emergency? Every trip has a custom emergency response plan. Trip leaders have extensive training in Wilderness First Aid. We will be no farther than 6 miles from road access. We will have a satellite phone for emergency contact and keep a staff person at home on-call to help coordinate logistics should any emergency arise. 

Who makes the decision to do this trip? Parents and teens talk together and need to be in agreement about the teen going on the trip. Of course this is a new experience, and with that comes normal anxiety. So even a mixed feeling about going is fine - most participants start with that. If you, as a teen, have some interest in this, consider going and potentially leaving your comfort zone a bit. That is where fun and growth can be. But, if none of this interests you, you probably should not go right now. Read through our eligibility criteria to help figure out if your teen meets our baseline requirements for eligibility. The final decision is made by the Wild Grief team after reviewing applications and meeting with the teen and their parent/guardian.

What happens after the trip? Participants often share contact info and several groups have kept a group connection long after the hike. Backpack Alumni are welcome to join  our Teen Day Hikes as well as any of our All-ages or Family Programs with their guardian. We are happy to provide additional grief resources upon request. 

Other

I want to volunteer, how can I help? We love to have you join us, we always need help with gear prep, gear cleaning, fundraisers, work on our website, taking pictures, and much more. If you are interested in volunteering with us, please sign up to join our volunteer email list.

What does Wild Grief need to support this work? You can spread the word about our programs, like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, and donate money or gear.